


Walk Upon The Waters

by LochAndLoad



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Animal Deaths, Based off Kannibal's MerCree AU on Twitter, Brief Description Of Corpses, Cute puppies, Gen, Gift Fic, Hanzo is a Furry, Human Hanzo Shimada, Interspecies Romance, M/M, MerMay, Mermaid Jesse McCree, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Non-Chronological, One Shot Collection, Sexual Content, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-18 09:32:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14850236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LochAndLoad/pseuds/LochAndLoad
Summary: A collection of one shots based off Kannibal's MerCree AU on Twitter!Chapter 4: Mei's friendship with the elusive Hanzo Shimada has always been a strange one to everyone but them,





	1. From Me To You

**Author's Note:**

> Kannibal's mermaid AU art has inspired me so much that I HAD to write some quick fanfic for it! This chapter was done between writing sessions for Tinted Moonlight and as practice for possible writing commissions in the future!
> 
> If you're reading this, I'm assuming you've read all the context from the Twitter posts and know what's up. If you haven't and want to avoid any confusion, [head over to Kannibal's twitter](https://twitter.com/i/moments/1125261964970741761) !

The penguins had only been the beginning of the madness.

Not long after meeting the mer-creature (merman? Mer-seal? Mer-Flirts-A-Lot?) Jesse, Hanzo had opened the door to his lone outpost cabin and was welcomed by a bleeding, barely alive Adélie penguin. Once he’d swallowed down the panic and grabbed the bird in a towel, he rushed it to the Ecopoint main base and gave it to someone with basic first aid knowledge.

His colleagues questioned him end to end and all he could divulge was that he had no clue about anything (never before had that been more true than it was now). They dropped it soon enough and before long, Hanzo forgot about the incident entirely.

Then he had a very dead, torn up toothfish dumped on his doorstep that left him all the more confused.

(How the fuck had a toothfish gotten out of the northern fisheries?!)

By the time the fifth dead and de-feathered Chinstrap penguin greeted him at his door, Hanzo had enough and stormed out to investigate the source, bow and quiver across his back (should he feel like indulging his trigger finger). The trail of blood led him to the rocky beach where he knew Jesse’s beloved walruses sunned themselves, though this early in the morning it was barren except, speak of the devil… 

“If it ain’t the most handsome whaler son t’ step foot on this beach,” Jesse announced from his spot in the shallow waves, fins slapping against the water as he preened and smirked.

Hanzo glared.

“What the  _ hell  _ have you been doing?”

Hanzo crossed his arms as he marched over, holding back a shiver against the harsh coastal breeze and keeping his gaze solely on Jesse’s face, no lower no matter how tempting it was to appreciate the mer’s humanoid half. 

He stopped once he was close enough to smack the coral hat off Jesse’s smug head and kept glaring as the mer fumbled to catch it.

“Hey—!”

“I know it’s you who’s been leaving dead penguins at my cabin, Jesse.” Hanzo scoffed and put his hands on his hips, scowling as Jesse put his hat back on and pushed himself up to eye level.

“Darlin’, I’m just helping—”

“ _ How _ ?”

Hanzo took a breath and blinked, flushing at how close Jesse leaned in. He pulled back enough to keep the red away from the mer’s inquisitive stare and pulled his hood over his freezing ears, then rubbed his arms quickly. Jesse watched carefully.

“Han, don’t think I ain’t noticed that ya don’t have food at your home,” Jesse started, voice soft enough Hanzo felt it rather than heard it, even with the gap between them. “It ain’t nothing to be ‘shamed of, hell it took Papá years to stop me from expectin’ bucket scraps an’ even longer to get me huntin’ on my own—”

Wait, what?

Hunting? “That’s what this is about?”

“Yeah, darlin’?”

The mer thought he couldn’t hunt? Him - Shimada Hanzo, raised in a family infamous for whaling and killing - couldn’t hunt for himself on this patch of melting ice? That he needed help from someone who wasn’t even human— 

Hanzo felt his ire and pride flair as he buried his face into his palm, grinding his teeth and barely resisting the urge to growl at the absurdity of it all. It would be easy, so  _ so  _ easy to snap and never look back, unleash his irritation on someone who… 

Who wasn’t human.

What did Jesse know of cafeterias, mess halls, refrigerators, bento boxes and leftovers in tupperware? Sea leopards were solitary creatures  by nature, fending for themselves from a young age with no thought to how any others survived. Sure, Jesse wasn’t the same, but it was enough to give Hanzo pause.

It wasn’t Jesse’s fault, he wasn’t to blame.

A loud squawk brought Hanzo to full attention, glancing over his shoulder. An albatross was hopping across the rocks some distance away, plucking washed up krill and crabs from the sandy gaps.

Jesse peered with him, raising an eyebrow into that mess he dared to call hair, curiosity crinkling the corner of his eyes, dark skin glistening with salt that dried out his mouth at the thought of his taste— 

A snap of his wrist brought his bow into grip, arrow loaded and flying before he had a chance to let go of his breathe.

The arrow burst through the bird’s head in silence, pinned to the uneven ground without so much as a twitch in the legs.

Hanzo smirked and looked back at Jesse, pride practically glowing from his very being. The mer was staring wide, pupils blown to hide every trace of brown, hand and claw hung uselessly in midair and his mouth was agape, showing off his sharp teeth. What really caught his eye was the bright blush all over his face, neck, creeping down to his generous chest, highlighting the freckles and faint scars peppered over his skin.

A low chittering slipped past Jesse’s loose lips and he didn’t stop staring, though his tail thumped against the waves and his powerful muscles tightened under the blubber. He was full of rightful fear, awe and something else entirely that Hanzo didn’t recognise on his particular face.

Hanzo cleared his throat and shouldered his bow. Jesse didn’t budge.

“I can hunt perfectly fine myself.” He reached out and pushed the mer’s mouth shut, flicking his bright nose before turning away to fetch his arrow. 

The gaze burnt into his back the entire time, even as he left the beach and returned home.

 

**0XX0**

 

Hanzo didn’t really see Jesse again for a while after the confrontation on the beach. February rolled into March, then April, and the most Hanzo saw of him was a startled jump into the nearest body of water when their eyes met (he thought he’d spotted the mer when the elephant seals came on land to molt, but nothing came of it).

Well, the dead penguins and (possibly) stolen fish at his doorstep had stopped for good.

But Hanzo found himself missing Jesse’s company. As strange and annoying he could be sometimes, his visits brought joy to this new life of Hanzo’s that his colleagues couldn’t compare to. For another species, Jesse was surprisingly easy to get along with, most days.

So of course, the morning Hanzo decided to catch the mer, Jesse came to him instead.

He opened the door to his cabin to find the mer standing too closely to the frame, hands behind his back and face caught in the headlights. Hanzo froze, blinking as he took in the sight. Jesse worked his jaw, no words coming out despite it.   

“Jesse,” Hanzo started, looking around in lieu of having to face those shying browns. “What… are you doing here?”

_ ‘Smooth, Hanzo. Very smooth.’ _

Jesse cleared his throat and shifted on his fins, looking all for the world like he wanted to be somewhere else. The thought made Hanzo frown and crease his brow; what had changed?

“Hey, darlin’.” He rolled his shoulders, still hiding his hands. Hanzo stayed in his spot. “Sorry I ain’t been ‘round, I’ve been busy an’ didn’t wanna spoil it.”

Hanzo quirked an eyebrow up, narrowing his eyes. “Spoil what?”

Jesse opened his mouth but quickly shut it and straightened up, a smile growing and sparking his eyes. Hanzo watched as he clapped his fins together and held out his arms, presenting a folded up… cloth? 

Jesse nudged it into his arms, smirk forming in the quirk of his lips and beard. “Take a look, angelfish.”

Hanzo blinked at the nickname but set it aside for later discussion as he unraveled the fabric in his arms. He held it out in front of him and his jaw went slack at the sight he beheld.

A thick blanket of fur dropped out onto the ground, soft against his fingers, and woven into the outer coat were layers of shining feathers; black to grey to white to orange, blending in seamlessly with each other and the dark fur. Hanzo ran a hand down them, breath hitching at the silky texture and how his fingers sank into them, spreading warmth up his arm. 

Hanzo broke away to stare at Jesse, feeling that warmth creep over his face but finding no room to care about it underneath the overwhelming tenderness threatening to make his heart swell out of his chest. He breathed carefully and swallowed.

“You made this…?”

Jesse chuckled and took off his hat to run his hand through his hair, the dry salt catching in the high sunlight and bringing back not-so-innocent thoughts of the mer’s taste. Hanzo didn’t banish it, knowing he was already red enough to be able to deny anything. 

(He didn’t want to.)

“I know it’s a couple months late t’ give it to ya, but I still want you to have it, Han.” Jesse shuffled closer, pulling the shawl off the ground to press against Hanzo’s chest. “Try it on.”

Hanzo nodded, adjusted his hold and threw it around his shoulders, wrapping it tightly around himself. A wave of heat enveloped him, even as the April breeze turned his legs to ice, and he let out a long sigh as he closed his eyes. He brought it in closer, digging his hands into the softness and reveling in the rare comfort it brought him.

He smiled at Jesse, only a small thing not as sharp as his usual snark and wit, but it might as well have shined brighter than the sun if Jesse’s wide grin was anything to go by. He chittered again and whistled, making Hanzo laugh quietly.

“Thank you, Jesse. I love it.”

“Really?” Jesse lit up and Hanzo nodded, keeping his chuckles to himself.

He picked up his travel pack and locked his cabin door, watching Jesse all the while as he seemed to bounce and flash his teeth with little care to who saw. Hanzo headed off at a lackadaisy pace, smile still present.

“Walk with me to the docks?”

As they walked, one poised and the other cumbersome, Hanzo’s thoughts drifted off as he allowed himself this joy of being with someone like Jesse. Someone with qualities he hadn’t the courage to name or admit he admired yet.

He should get him a gift as well… 


	2. A Man's Best Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early in Hanzo's Ecopoint career, an unusual call to action brought friends into his life that he never knew he missed. It's only the beginning of their adventures...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Mchanzo in this chapter, sorry, but it's full of puppies and fluff! X3
> 
> If you're reading this, I'm assuming you've read all the context from the Twitter posts and know what's up. If you haven't and want to avoid any confusion, [head over to Kannibal's twitter](https://twitter.com/kannibal/media) ! You can find designs for [AU Iwanko and Hachiko here](https://twitter.com/LochAndLoad/status/1005073337494712320) ;P

Hanzo had been working with Ecopoint for less than a month when the emergency call came through: a flash storm had struck a civilian tour group off the western coast of Ross Island and Overwatch had ordered them to act as first response until rescue services arrived from mainland. It was outside of their expertise but they were the best chance those people had at surviving the next twelve hours.

Normally, Hanzo would be kept within the offices to avoid public scrutiny towards the higher ups. However, in this situation, all capable hands were called upon to sail so he had no choice but to head out on his motorboat. Certainly not the most glorious of jobs nor the best use of his skills, but Hanzo couldn’t find it in himself to care all that much. 

Anything was better than wasting away at a desk.

The shipwreck… 

It was too familiar, seeing bodies floating amongst the wreckage. Images pulled straight from his nightmares of another time, another ocean too close to heart. Hanzo stared at them, hands gripping the edges of his boat as he sought out a flicker of green, mind screaming for the wind to calm, for the waters to settle, just give him his baby brother back— 

No, Genji was… 

It didn’t matter.

Hanzo pulled himself away from the group, trailing along to the nearby cliff rocks. There were enough agents here to pull up survivors and no one was checking the land for anyone stranded, or at least that’s what he reasoned to himself as good enough reasons to run away.

Away from the noise and rabble, Hanzo could actually clear his head and breath easily. The dragons rolled under his skin, itching all up his arm, and he ignored them. One round of these rocks and he could go back to the others in better spirits.

As he neared the land, watching the waves lapping at the cliffside, a sharp, high-pitched noise broke through the ambience to him. Hanzo pulled his hood down and looked around, listening closely. It got louder as he neared the cliffs, a never-ending chain of short barks - too quick for a seal pup, not deep nor a wail like an adult’s. There were no dogs stationed on Ross Island, yet there was no mistaking that sound.

Turning a corner, Hanzo came upon the source: a dog stranded on a rock’s edge, limping around the small space it occupied, and barking like there was no tomorrow. Hanzo cut the boat’s engine and let it float up close, slowly standing with his arms out as he clicked his tongue.

“Hey, hey,” He cooed as he came up to the rock ledge, making himself as small as possible. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

The dog - a puppy, now that he was closer, only a couple months old at best - kept barking, trying to move away from him but with nowhere to go, it was just as stuck. It snarled, a weak, pitiful sound, and snapped at Hanzo’s glove when it came close enough. Hanzo sighed and allowed it; the glove was thick enough to stop the puppy from causing any real damage.

With the puppy occupied, Hanzo made a grab for its scruff and hauled it off the rock. The puppy kicked, whined and shivered but was too weak to put up a real fight even as Hanzo released it onto the boat. All it could do was peer over the side and howl, staring out onto the open water.

Hanzo startled when he heard a howl of reply. 

He cursed to himself and gave the puppy a look. It ignored him, shifting on its paws as it yipped and barked at the water. Hanzo followed its gaze to the waves, narrowing his own as he searched it. A dot of white came up from the water, howled to them and Hanzo pushed the boat off the rocks, floating closer.

Sure enough, another puppy was paddling towards them, struggling to stay afloat with something clenched in its teeth. As Hanzo drifted the boat closer, he saw the full form:

A person.

“ _ Kuso _ ,” He cursed again, starting the engine up again and rushing over to them. The puppies made more noise and the snippy one left pawprints of blood all over the floor; a problem to deal with later.

Holding steady as the puppy and survivor came into clearer view, Hanzo’s stomach dropped and he bite down a wave of nausea. Their face was down in the water, no movement to be seen. The puppy was pulling on their coat sleeve and from what little he could see, the skin was too blue, too bloated to be alive. Not that the puppy had noticed as it came up to the boat, pawing at its sides and whining loudly.

Without thinking, Hanzo unzipped his coat and pulled the puppy out, shoving it into his coat and ignoring how the wet fur felt against his shirt as he zipped back up. The puppy whined again and curled up to press against his warmth, shivering despite it. Hanzo stroked an ear and, careful not to jostle, reached down to pull the body out.

Even through his gloves, he could feel how cold and stiff they were, and bit his tongue as he dragged them onto his boat. 

The standing puppy barked and poked at the body with its nose, whining when there was no response. Hanzo tore his gaze away from the lifeless blue skin and open, frozen eyes that saw nothing, and held tighter to the puppy nestled against him. The other one cried and looked up at Hanzo, and if he didn’t know better, he would say it was heartbroken.

He opened his mouth but no words came out. What could he say to a pair of dogs to make them understand they couldn’t save this person? That they were safe? 

Instead he stroked both of their ears without protest from either and did one last sweep of the area - nothing but water and washed up wreckage - before turning back on himself to the designated rescue service dock. The rest of the effort could go on without his help; someone else needed it more.

 

**0XX0**

 

Once the body had been taken away to be identified (and he allowed the puppies to see for themselves that the person was gone for good, even if he had a hard time pulling the wet one away), Hanzo dragged them all to the first aid tent set up on the beach and set himself in an isolated corner to take care of the problem that left his boat in a bloody mess.

The puppy whined and nipped as he cleaned the injured paw, but Hanzo held on and winced at the sight. A deep cut across the paw pad, blood half-clotted and frozen from exposure. It would need stitches and antibiotics to avoid infection and possibly losing the leg, something that while Hanzo was trained to do, did not look forward to holding down a defenseless puppy.

Hanzo let out a long breathe and raked his thoughts for something - anything - to get his mind off it. The wrapped up puppy, curled up in a spare blanket on his lap, watched his movements with tired eyes and he soothed down its fur, whispering nothings to it.

He kept talking quietly, keeping his voice strong and steady as he rifled through the first aid kit. The puppies watched him and he looked them over, taking them in for the first time since finding them. Their most obvious feature was their thick white fur, though upon closer inspection Hanzo could see that they had faint red-blonde markings over their heads - the injured one had them akin to Urajiro markings, while the drying one had them in large spots over its front end. The curled tails and tight knuckles of their paws confirmed his suspicion of their Akita Inu breed.

The revelation brought a smile to his lips and he cooed nonsense at them, basking in the memories of his family’s pack of Akitas. His father forbade him and Genji from playing with them, trained or not. But that never stopped him from wishing for their loyal companionship, or a chance to bury himself in the fur and laugh as they pounced him for treats. 

Friends he could actually trust.

The puppy seemed to calm as he talked about everything and nothing, and he kept it still long enough to securely stitch the paw pad together and administer the antibiotics. The puppy certainly wasn’t happy about it but didn’t make any move to chew at the bandages wrapped around its foot. 

Hanzo took the chance to do another check and change the wet blankets for dry ones. While there were no collars on either puppy, there was a dent in the neck fur indicating there had been before the storm. They were probably on the ocean floor now, and with it their names and a way home. Not that he could give them names, because that would mean getting attached and— 

The injured puppy - a male - squeezed himself onto Hanzo’s lap, curling around his blanketed sister and yawned with a squeak. Hanzo stroked his head and the puppy caught his hand, licking his thumb before starting to suckle on it.

Well, Hanzo’s heart was a lost cause.

The three of them stayed in the corner for who knows how long before one of the head researchers (Hanzo couldn’t remember her name at the top of his head, he had his attention held elsewhere at that moment) came over to him to tell him the mainland services had arrived.

“We looked at the records and the owner of these dogs didn’t survive the wreck,” She said, looking between her clipboard and the puppies, her mouth set in a thin line. “The ship captain confirmed the body you brought back was their owner.”

Hanzo stroked his free hand over the puppy’s ears, swallowing as he remembered how hard she had tried to save them. He nodded as she yawned and licked his fingers, staring up at him with warm honey eyes that he couldn’t resist. Her grip on him was tight and he knew he wasn’t letting go any time soon.

“What will happen to them now?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

His boss rolled her shoulders and shook her head. “Next step will be to contact family and direct the dogs to them if they’re willing, but for now…”

She watched them, relaxing her brow and sighing. “Probably best they stay with you. There’s already too much for the rescue servicemen to handle. Can you handle them?”

Hanzo nodded, releasing the tension built up between his shoulders. “My family bred Akita Inus for generations, I know what to do.” 

“Alright, I’ll leave you to it. You can head back to base, we don’t want anyone here recognising you.” Hanzo held back a biting remark and just nodded again as he pulled his hood up, leaving nothing but the sleepy puppies in his line of sight.

They would need names afterall.

 

**0XX0**

 

It didn’t take a genius to see how enamored Hanzo became with the new canine additions to his bunk, but most were certainly surprised by how  _ quickly  _ it happened. The agents and researchers at the Ecopoint base knew Hanzo to be aloof, stoic and at best, moody in interactions with others. Yet, when they watched him with the puppies from afar, it was as if he were a completely different person.

He smiled widely when they barked for his attention, gladly gave them ear scratches and belly rubs, and laughed at their childish antics in the bunkers. If the Ecopoint group chat was full of puppy photos, no one complained (or told Hanzo about it).

Hanzo himself made a point to ignore his ‘co-workers’ and focus on the puppies, now named Iwanko ( イワンコ) , for his insistent barking on the rock ledge, and Hachiko ( ハチ公), for her loyalty and diligence to her master. He made them temporary collars from strips of old reflective jackets and took responsibility for their medical care, hiding himself in the medical bay to change bandages and give medication. They slept with him on his top bunk bed, curled up on either side of his head and growling at whoever strayed too close during the nights.

(If Hanzo stopped sleeping with a dagger under his pillow, that was his business alone.)

Being stationed in a highly sensitive research base, Hanzo spent most of his free time training Iwanko and Hachiko to act responsibly. Thankfully their previous owner had the sense to train them with basic commands, which helped ease them into Hanzo’s more intense training regime. From sit, shake, and heel, they learnt to track a scent, retrieve biotic emitters from a backpack, and activate the SOS line on Hanzo’s communicator.

A pair of eager students if he’d ever seen one, though Hachiko was perhaps a touch too zealous in her goal to please Hanzo. She would trip over her own feet in her bursts of energy to get a task done, or even trip him up if he didn’t acknowledge her accomplishments fast enough. Iwanko, while not as energetic, preferred to learn things at his own pace. Quite stubbornly so, if Hanzo had anything to say about it, but once he knew the command, there was no forgetting it.

Some of the agents, when they thought Hanzo couldn’t hear them, would say that the only reason the pups learnt anything was because of their equally stubborn teacher. It was meant as a scathing remark, but Hanzo held his head high and took pride in his relentlessness to teach his new companions. His methods were effective and that was all that mattered to him.

In the midst of it all, time taken up elsewhere and everything else taking a backseat, it honestly surprised Hanzo when he found 3 months had passed before any news from the previous owner’s family came back to them.

“None of the next of kin want them,” Dr. Khalil told him in the conference room, surrounded by other researchers and yet no higher ups. “So our best option is to send them to New Zealand for rehoming.”

“Is that their only option?” Hanzo asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the table. It earned him a room full of stares but he held up against them. He’d faced down worse for less.

“We can’t keep them here, Shimada,” Khalil sighed, shooting him a look of long-suffering and impatience. “They’re not approved to be here, for one thing, and they’re untrained.”

“Then I’ll train them,” Hanzo said without thinking, strengthening his glare on the doctor. “If any of you can get them approved to stay, I’ll train them.”

“To do what, Shimada?” Someone behind him asked. He didn’t dignify them with a glare.

“The Akita are hunting dogs—”

“Exactly, they could harm the ecosystem!”

“—And with training, they could serve as excellent trackers,” Hanzo raised his voice, curling his fists. “I would even go as far as to say that they could outperform your current tracker team.”

This earned him a few murmurs and curious glances, a scoff of disbelief here and there. Hanzo stared Dr. Khalil down, daring them to prove him wrong. He would happily welcome such a challenge, anything to prove himself to these holier-than-thou assholes— 

“I’ll forward your proposal to the bosses.” Dr. Khalil cleared their throat, looking Hanzo up and down with a hint of disgust. It bubbled something vile in Hanzo’s stomach. “It’ll be laughed off, but I’ll humour you, Shimada.”

It was better than nothing, Hanzo let out a long breathe and quirked his lips up into a smile that was too sharp, too cunning to be friendly. It cooled the air around them, freezing them down to the bone.

“Give me six months, and they’ll show you otherwise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts are always welcome!
> 
> Check out my [tumblr](http://lochdandloaded.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/LochAndLoad) for extra art, AUs and ramblings from yours truly. Or chat to me (LochAndLoad#1845) on the McHanzo Sanctuary discord server!


	3. Moments On The Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moments of a relationship seen through the most loyal eyes, or how Iwanko learnt to love the merman bomb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kannibal and I took a break from the MerCree AU for a while, but we're back and THRIVING. This is the longest chapter this fic will ever see, so enjoy! And sorry for any mistakes, I'll fix them soon!
> 
> Chichi - Dad  
> Youfusama - Father  
> Shinnyuu - New guy  
> Chiisha - Dad's guy  
> Gup - Short for guppy, aka the mermaid equivalent of babe/baby
> 
> If you're reading this, I'm assuming you've read all the context from the Twitter posts and know what's up. If you haven't and want to avoid any confusion, [head over to Kannibal's twitter](https://twitter.com/kannibal/media) ! You can find designs for [AU Iwanko and Hachiko here](https://twitter.com/LochAndLoad/status/1005073337494712320) ;P

It was a day like any other, out on the ice caps with Youfusama holding the treats while showing what the buttons on his strange flat pad did. Distant eeping signaled the trackers in the area yet to be cataloged, and it was now Iwanko and Sister’s job to find them for their final training session Youfusama made it clear that this was their most important task to date - everything rested on them passing this test!

So of course, Iwanko wasn’t happy when the Sea Monster came and ruined it all.

He’d been at the edge of the caps, steering clear of the water whilst following the walrus the last tracker was attached to. It was staying underwater, which meant he couldn’t get close, which meant he would fail and Iwanko couldn't let that happen— 

A large splash knocked Iwanko back and soaked him, covering him in The Bad Place smell and scarning off his target. He shook himself dry and growled as a large shadow fell over him.

“Hey there, lil’ fella. You lookin’ for somethin’?”

Narrowed red eyes. Claws longer than his head. Large fangs twice as sharp as his own, and rippling muscles in a twisted body of man and sea dog: Sea Monster. The Bad Place was coming for him, for Sister, and Youfu— 

Iwanko surged forward, teeth bared, and snapped down on the closest limb. The monster flailed and yelled, but Iwanko held on tight. The skin was rough against his tongue and his teeth ached as he put all of his strength into the bite. The limb lifted up, nearly taking Iwanko off his feet. He dug his claws into the ice and flattened his ears, snarling loudly as the monster struggled in vain.

“Iwanko!”

Youfusama?

Sister barreled into him, knocking Iwanko off his feet and forcing him off the Sea Monster. She curled up into his space, nuzzling his fur and nibbling his muzzle. He barked and shoved her off, nipping back at Siser. She wagged her tail and climbed all over, pinning him in place.

Youfusama came into view as he jogged over, breathing hard and gaze darting around the scene. Iwanko sat up against Sister, waiting for Youfusama’s assessment on his defense.

Sea Monster clambered up fully onto the ice towards Youfusama, revealing the full extent of its half-human, half… seal body. It cradled its left fin in its claw, flexing muscles and speaking in a low tone. Youfusama went over to it (WHAT) and fussed over the fin, replying in kind- the same way he did over Iwanko’s scarred paw or Sister’s tangled up harness.

What was he doing! Couldn’t he see the danger the Sea Monster brought?! They had to run, get far away before it dragged them all under the water!

Youfusama stood straight and adjusted his furs, still speaking. Sea Monster spoke back and nudged close enough to bump hips. Iwanko growled but Sister held him down on the ice could jump in to defeat the creature. The Sea Monster towered over Youfusama, a glint in his winking eye that wasn’t t be trusted.

Youfusama rolled his eyes and grumbled, but his face brightened in a similar way to how it did in front of a fire It wasn’t warm now, so why was he red? Sea Monster saw it and chuckled as Youfusama turned and walked over.

“Iwanko, Hachiko—” They scrambled to sit up properly, tails wagging and backs ramrod straight. “ — this is Jesse. He’s not human like me or the other agents, but he IS a friend. I trust you both to behave around him.”

The Sea Monster, a  **_friend_ ** ?! Had Youfusama lost his mind?!

“I mean it, Iwanko.” He switched to the Old Language, a stern look in his eye. Iwanko lowered his growl to a whimper and glared at Sea Monster.

It bared its teeth at them and waved its claws around. Sister barked happily and bounced on her paws in her strange, little dance. Youfusama smiled and ruffled her fur, letting her run off to the Sea Monster. He grabbed Iwanko’s harness before he could intervene, and watched as she jumped onto the monster, licking its face and begging for attention like the traitor she was.

Youfusama scratched behind his ears and Iwanko leant into the touch, whining quietly. 

“Try your best, Iwacchi.” Youfusama muttered, still watching Sister and the Sea Monster play around on the ice. Iwanko pouted at the sight, how captivated Youfusama seemed by the Sea Monster’s antics 

How easily he smiled at it and laughed, and softened — all things meant for him and Sister alone.

Iwanko kept his eye on the playfulness, an edge set to his fangs. If Sea Monster was supposed to be a friend, then that meant it would be around more often; taking Youfusama’s attention, covering them with its salty musk before pulling them under the waves for good. Youfusama was being tricked! 

But not Iwanko. No, he wouldn’t be tricked.

No matter what, he wouldn’t let the Sea Monster get the upper hand over him and his pack.

 

**0XX0**

 

Ever since Shinnyuu had visited and gifted Chichi the soft feather shawl, Brother had been annoyed by the gift’s existence and growled whenever he smelt it nearby. Chichi ignored him and wore it everyday over his furs, indoors and out. He even took it with his luggage when they went to other bases! He smiled more freely, lost himself in thought, perked up whenever Shinnyuu was brought up.

So when Chichi began to spend his free time hunched over his office desk with yards of cord, rope, strong and seashells all over the place, Hachiko  _ knew  _ everything was going to change for the better.

(Brother didn’t agree, but what did he know of a seal man so clearly enamoured by their wonderful Chichi?

One way or another, hachiko would find a way to help Shinnyuu mate with Chichi. No matter what Brother thought!)

Hachiko sat by Chichi’s desk as he wove his materials in a pattern she didn’t understand, watching with a keen eye and perked up ears. He scratched her ears but didn’t pause in his crafting, though his gaze drifted to a distance only he could see. Hachiko licked his fingers and yipped at him.

“He’s a strange one, he is.” Shinnyuu? Hachiko tilted her head as Chichi sighed, fiddling with the red cord. “Of course he is, he’s a merman for God’s sake!”

She rested her head on his arm and waited as he wrestled with his words. Eventually, Chichi groaned and put down his work to pull her up into his lap, arms wrapped tightly around her. Hachiko curled up against his chest and nuzzled him, tail wagging slowly. She couldn’t fit as well as she used to when they first met, but Chichi was strong enough to hold her up for hours.

“I don’t know, Hachi. He’s a friend, a real one.” He kissed the top of her head, stroking down her neck. “I feel like I can truly be myself around him; he doesn’t have any expectations of me or the Shimada name. It’s… refreshing.”

He stalled in his strokes. Hachiko whined and licked his jaw, then nipped his fingers when he pushed her down.

“I like him. I really like him, Hachi. Obviously someone as fucked up as me would fall for a merman of all things.”

Hachiko growled at his hollow laugh and bit his chin, squirming in his hold until he pinned her down with a glare. Chichi couldn’t talk about himself or Shinnyuu that way!

“I could do worse. At least Jesse is a kind man; he’ll turn me down gently.”

Hachiko pouted and whined louder. Didn’t Chichi know Shinnyuu wanted him? Couldn’t he smell how his musk shifted whenever Chichi came close to him, or see how Shinnyuu presented himself when Chichi gazed too long? Shinnyuu was practically begging to be mounted! Everything he did was an obvious sign that he wanted to be mates and have their own pack!

Hachiko sat up, panting. Starting their own pack would mean puppies! More Brothers and Sisters for her to play with and look after! A real pack for her and Brother to be a part of!

Oh, this was fantastic!! Hachiko had to make Chichi see how much Shinnyuu wanted this too. And she  **would** .

(No no, he wasn’t Shinnyuu, not really. He was Chiisha!)

With one last nip, Hachiko jumped off Chichi’s lap and trotted out of his office to go find Brother. Even if he didn’t like Chiisha, he would love to have puppies around! They both missed having a larger pack to play and hunt with - this would be the best news Brother ever heard!

 

**0XX0**

 

It was not the best news Brother had ever heard.

The very thought of Chichi and Chiisha mating was the most offensive idea Brother had heard, and he refused to accept how smitten their Chichi was by his seal man.

This went so far as to squeeze between them during their courting exchanges - as Chiisha called them - and interrupting their moments of rare quiet. He even stopped Chichi from initiating mating with Chiisha! Hachiko bit his scarred paw for that, and they both ended up locked in the kennels for the night over it.

Chichi didn’t tolerate Brother’s plotting for long, and it worked out for him when, one evening, he and Chiisha came back from swimming in such high spirits, Hachiko couldn’t help but be curious about what happened while they were out on their own.

(Brother was less than enthusiastic.)

Chiisha was tailing behind Chichi, a wide grin on his flushed face as he wildly gestured. Chichi was smirking, also brightly flushed, loose limbed and seemingly uncaring as to who saw him. So unlike the Chichi she knew!

Hachiko stopped in her path to them when Chiisha took Chichi’s wrist, tugging him back into his space and leaning in close. Chichi froze in place, staring wide eyed up at Chiisha while his hands writhed at his sides, aching to mirror Chiisha’s claws ghosting over Chichi’s cheek. Hachiko quashed down her barks and sat down, barely containing her excitement in the hectic wag of her tail.

“Do it again, darlin’.  _ Please _ .” Chiisha’s voice was so quiet, barely a whisper on the wind. Chichi shivered nonetheless, gaze flitting down Chiisha’s face.

“I’ve shown you enough times.” Chichi replied with a fake grumble, eyes now half-lidded and looking anywhere but in front of him. Chiisha laughed softly and tilted his chin up to meet him, resting their foreheads together.

“Just once more, it’ll stick this time.” Hachiko leaned in, ears perked up high to catch the quiet voices.

“Somehow I doubt that.” Chichi chuckled and he closed his eyes, finally moving his hands up Chiisha’s arms to hold him close. They moved in, lips brushing and hearts skipping, just like Old Master did with their mate—!

A Brother-shaped blur pounced on to Chiisha’s tail, barking madly. They sprang apart, static flying in the space left behind - a flash in Chichi’s eyes - and Hachiko rushed over to yap at her dumb brother for ruining such a perfect moment!

Said brother was clinging to Chiisha’s tail, claws caught on the fur, and lips curled up in a snarl directed as Chiisha. He and Chichi watched as Brother’s hackles raised, voicing every negative opinion he had towards their coupling. Hachiko kept barking at him, jumping up to try and dislodge him but he was firmly seated.

What was he doing?! Didn’t he want their Chichi to be happy?

Or for the pack to grow stronger?

Why was he letting his stupid ocean fear get in the way of their family?

Brother had no answer for her, as he kept growling at Chiisha. Chichi breathed, in through the nose and slowly out of his mouth whenever he was angry (at her?), and marched over. Hachiko sat down on the grass silently, ready to bare her belly. Brother didn’t budge.

Chichi snatched Brother from his perch by his scruff and it knocked him out of his angered trance. Immediately, he slackened and whined, even tried to lick Chichi’s face. He was planted on the ground next to Hachiko, and Chichi knelt in front of them, his expression something she had never seen directed at them before.

“That,” He said lowly in the Old Language, face darkening. “was incredibly inappropriate behaviour. Hachiko, go back to the hub; Iwanko, you will apologise to Jesse  _ this instant _ .”

A duet of whines were cut short by another flash in his eyes and they stood, tails between their legs and heads low. Hachiko glanced to Brother, the regret and conflict running off him in waves. She cried and quickly nipped his muzzle, sending her well wishes through a brief shoulder bump before she trotted off to the hub. Chiisha’s voice made her look over her shoulder, finding him leaning against Chichi, arms wrapped around his waist and trilling to him. Brother stood by their feet, staring at the ground without a sound.

Chichi caught her watching and waved her off, taking Chiisha’s arms off him but sticking to his side, tilting his ear to the soft chirps and whistles of a mate. Hachiko brightened and wagged her tail; Chichi and Chiisha would be fine! More than fine, they’d build the strongest pack and Hachiko would have a place in it, just like before!

Even if Brother didn’t agree or kept trying to stop the progress, Hachiko knew nothing would stand in the way of their pack.

 

**0XX0**

 

The Sea Monster was back in the house for the fourth time in so many days and Iwanko was twitching to run him out into the snow. Its scent was  _ everywhere _ , it was driving him crazy! Youfusama was tolerating it, giving it free reign of their home, and cuddling up to it in front of the fireplace - it was all leading to what Sister had predicted moons ago.

Iwanko still didn’t like it. The Sea Monster as Youfusama’s mate -  _ a part of their pack  _ \- was still insulting to even think about, but Iwanko had made a promise moons ago to Youfusama to ‘act civil’ around the Sea Monster and he was really, really trying to be a good boy about it.

But it was so hard when the Sea Monster was taking over, stealing Youfusama’s attention, turning their home into its lair, and generally acting as if he were already part of their pack. Sister argued that it was, and he would know this too if he put in any effort to scent Youfusama, but Iwanko knew their Youfusama better than that. He wouldn’t carelessly mate with this creature as if it wasn’t a huge matter. 

Youfusama was way smarter than that.

Even so, he was still capable of being tricked into rushing the Sea Monster in to his bedroom and shutting the door behind him. Iwanko sat in front of it now, growling low in his throat as he listened to the noises coming from inside. Mostly the Sea Monster whispering and chirping to Youfusama, saying things Iwanko couldn’t understand.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Spread out, just like that.”

“You prepped y’self so well; are y’ ready to take all of me?”

“You like that, don’tcha? Knuckle deep an’ you only want more of me.”

“I’m gonna fill you up an’ make you _ mine _ .”

None of it made any sense! Youfusama hadn’t said anything to the Sea Monster, and there were scents Iwanko didn’t recognise flowing out from under the door. Nothing to hint at Youfusama being in mortal danger, but there was nothing to comfort him either. The not-knowing was the worst part of being stuck on the other side of this stupid door, plus not being able to immediately get to Youfusama when the creature turned against him.

A husky groan came through the door and Iwanko sat up. That was Youfusama! He pressed an ear against the door, trying to pick up anything being said.

“Off, Jesse. Get off, get off.”

Was the Sea Monster holding Youfusama down? Keeping him against his will so he wouldn’t struggle while it ate him? Kidnapping him away to the ocean to drown?!

“Ah—!” A drawn out sound came from Youfusama, followed by a hiss of pain. He was being hurt! More was being said, but Iwanko paid it no attention; he had to rescue Youfusama!

Iwanko stepped back from the door and glared at the round handle. The house wasn’t like the big base they sometimes visited; it was ‘old fashioned’, and so didn’t have buttoned pads that controlled the doors. Only those like Youfusama and the Sea Monster could open these kinds of doors with their fingers and  _ thumbs _ . 

Iwanko growled again and barked at the door, as if that would do anything. He got louder and louder, making sure it was enough for Youfusama to hear him and be assured Iwanko was on the way to save him. Sister poked out from the kitchen area, lolling her head to the side and whining at him.

He barked at her too and she came over to investigate. With the two of them together, they could figure out a way to get to Youfusama! Sister sniffed around the door, perking her ears up at the sounds inside the room.

She yipped and bounced on her paws, wagging her tail. Iwanko blinked at her, flattening his ears. She yipped again, jumping up at him and licking over his muzzle, excited for no reason he could determine. Their Youfusama was in danger and she wasn’t helping!

Sister trotted off, leaving Iwanko alone in the hallway once more, without helping him a single bit. Typical! She probably had puppies on the brain again, so it was up to him alone to carry out the rescue.

Assessing the situation calmly, Iwanko knew he’d have to open the door by himself without any hands to help. So, he balanced carefully on his hind legs and bit down on the door handle. It was a strange taste in his mouth, nothing like the tennis balls Youfusama threw for them. It was slippery as well, but Iwanko held on with all of his strength, tugging down.

With enough pulling and twisting, Iwanko finally got the door to click open. He let go, working his jaw for it to be comfortable again, then quickly dashed into the bedroom into the action.

The first thing he noticed was how they were positioned: the Sea Monster was lying on the bare bed against the headboard, throat and stomach bared with its arms tied loosely above its head. Youfusama was kneeling over it, straddled on its tail and hovering over something too-thick coming out of it. He was bare as well, his furs scattered across the floor along with the creature’s own so-called garments, which was enough to give Iwanko pause.

The scent of the room was thick and overwhelming, leaving no doubt of what they were doing. No wonder Sister was so happy, but no! Iwanko wouldn’t believe it; Youfusama wasn’t like this! He knew better than to trust the sea that had almost taken them as puppies, the sea that had ripped him from the arms of his Old Master and the life he’d known, the sea that had  _ killed everyone _ . Iwanko had to remind him, save him from the trickster waiting to drag him down to the depths.

Snapping out of his stupor, Iwanko bristled and started barking again. Youfusama and the Sea Monster startled at the noise, and Youfusama’s grip on the creature slipped. He quickly fell down on the thickness from its tail and it froze, a strangled noise gasping out of its gaping maw.

“ _ F- _ **_Fuck_ ** !” Youfusama choked out, doubling over himself rigid and tense all over. The Sea Monster stayed completely still, eyes darting over him. Iwanko stayed at the end of the bed, snarling at it as it freed its arms from the loose cord to ghost its hands over Youfusama.

“Hanzo, angelfish, talk t’ me.” It whispered, trying to look at his face and rubbing its hands up Youfusama’s arms. “Are you hurt? Say somethin’, please.”

Youfusama gripped the creature’s shoulders, nails digging in as he shook his head. Iwanko sniffed the air - no blood, but Youfusama was  _ too  _ quiet. He was breathing in short gasps, not saying a word. Something was wrong and the Sea Monster was responsible!

It trilled and purred, nuzzling into Youfusama’s hair. Its hands moved down to his hips and Iwanko growled again, hackles raised. The Sea Monster glanced at him, eyes narrowed as it held onto Youfusama. He tightened his grip on its shoulders and whimpered, curling over more to bury his face into its marked neck. He was breathing faster now, too fast. 

Iwanko relaxed and inched closer as the Sea Monster kept chirping, whispering in the pauses. Youfusama stayed the same, white knuckled and shuddering, and every moment that passed like that made Iwanko more anxious.  _ What  _ was wrong with Youfusama? Nothing was happening; something should be happening!

While the Sea Monster was distracted, Iwanko came up the bed and pressed his wet nose to Youfusama’s knee. There was a slight shiver, but no reprimand or a playful shove to his snout. Youfusama was  _ really  _ in trouble.

“You don’t gotta be here,” the Sea Monster grumbled, looking over Youfusama’s head to narrow its gaze at Iwanko. He huffed and glared back with a pout. “Once Hanzo’s adjusted, he’ll be fine. I’ll take care of ‘im.”

Iwanko barked and growled at it again. He couldn’t leave Youfusama with it! The Sea Monster was the reason he was hurt in the first place! Iwanko had to stay and protect Youfusama.

“Hey, if you hadn’t burst in ‘ere all a sudden, Hanzo wouldn’ be like this!” The Sea Monster growled back, wrapping an arm around Youfusama’s waist as his other hand petted his hair. Youfusama grunted and slumped slightly in its hold. It trilled and nuzzled his cheek, spreading its scent.

“He’s my mate an’ I’m gonna take care of him, no matter what  _ you  _ think.” 

Iwanko snarled at that. It was  _ his  _ Youfusama! It was his job to protect him from all danger! 

The creature ignored him to keep nuzzling Youfusama, moving down to his neck and brushing his loose hair aside. From his spot, Iwanko could see the long, faded teeth marks on Youfusama’s nape, surrounded by fresher marks all over his neck. A similar, if smaller, mark was near the creature’s collarbone, sparking dimly with flashes much like Youfusama’s arm did.

There was no mistaking it: they were mated. Iwanko couldn’t deny it.

And something in him broke.

Despite everything - all his efforts! - Youfusama and the creature were mates, growing their pack to include monsters of the ocean - everything Iwanko hated (and feared, he told no one).

Youfusama made his choice, nothing Iwanko barked or did would ever change that. The Sea Monster was here to stay, give Youfusama puppies like Sister wanted, and nothing was ever going to be the same (it already wasn’t).

Iwanko didn’t know what to do.

How could he protect his pack when the threat  _ was  _ the pack? Where was his place if not that? Did he have one anymore— 

“Iwacchi.”

Iwanko snapped his head up, crying when he found Youfusama’s flashing eyes on him. They were tired and kind, just as they had been on the day they met on the cliffs. When he’d saved Iwanko from a watery grave and brought him into his pack, small and new but oh so precious. 

Youfusama reached a hand out to him and Iwanko licked over his palm, whining as he nuzzled into the touch. He heard a pair of chuckles above him and squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on Youfusama’s buried scent under all the salt.

“Silly boy, Iwacchi.” Youfusama muttered in the Old Language, his voice raspy and drained. “What did I tell you about Jesse?”

Iwanko whined again; what did that matter now? Youfusama tutted at him and patted his nose, cutting him off.

“None of that now; the damage is done. You know not to do this again, right?”

He barked. Of course! He didn’t want to hurt Youfusama again.

“Good. Go grab some towels from the bathroom and bring them here.”

Iwanko jumped back, tail wagging hurriedly. Towels, he knew where those were! Youfusama kept them on the floor after washing himself in the tall box. He didn’t see any in there last time he checked, but if Youfusama said they were in there, that’s where they were. 

With one last bark, Iwanko rushed off to the adjoined bathroom. Youfusama and the creature shuffled around, grumbling between them before settling again.

“Y’ make a good Papi, y’know.”

Youfusama groaned and Iwanko heard a light slap of skin, followed by a deep laugh. “Not you too!”

 

**0XX0**

 

A day off was a luxury one like Hanzo was not often afforded. On top of (technically) being a fugitive in hiding, he was also one of the few agents at Ecopoint to have higher clearance and access to Underwatch’s brief of missions. It was all fine and well for his personal goals, but it left him with very little time for himself. His free time between work was spent with Jesse when he was onland, and when he wasn’t, Hanzo spent the hours asleep.

Today, however, was his to spend with Agent Zhou, Hachiko and Iwanko on the main base. Mei had made upgrades to her Omnic assistant and wanted the dogs to test Snowball’s capabilities. That was code for ‘let me fuss over your puppies please!’ which Hanzo was fine with; Iwanko and Hachiko needed time out of their harnesses as well. It gave them a chance to play and burn excess energy; give him some time to himself.

Hanzo hauled his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed his communicator just as a loud knock pounded on the front door. Hachiko ran to it, barking and yapping as she bounced. What was Jesse doing here at this hour?

He opened the door, holding Hachiko back from pouncing on the poor mer. Jesse stood there, decked out in his casual gear (but still finding room for all of the ‘courting gifts’ Hanzo’d given him) and splitting his face with the biggest grin he’d ever seen on him.

“I thought you had a mission today.” Hanzo started, eyebrow raised and frown on edge. If his schedule had changed, he’d have to be the bearer of unfortunate news  _ and  _ a pouting mer.

“That’s t’night, angelfish.” Jesse kept smiling, radiating pure sunshine as if he hadn’t caught Hanzo on his way out of the door. Hanzo blinked and scrunched his face; it must have shown his scrambled thoughts. “I’m ‘ere to take you an’ the pups out.”

“Sorry, Jesse; we’re on the way to Ecopoint now to meet with someone,” Hanzo explained, shaking his head and letting Hachiko go. She jumped up at Jesse, licking and nipping his beard. “You’ll have to take us out another time.”

“It’s on the way, darlin’.” Jesse pushed Hachiko down and scratched behind her ears, laughing when she flopped against him. “It’ll only take a few minutes, I promise.”

Hanzo crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. Not that he didn’t trust his mate (and wasn’t that a weird concept to get used to; it made the red mark on his neck itch) but the lack of details showed that Jesse intended to keep the surprise intact. And his surprises hadn’t always ended up well for him or the dogs.

(Despite the weeks that had passed since, Hanzo could still feel the embers of burning pain between his thighs and the leftover chagrin of calling Doctor Ziegler in the middle of the night. All because of a  _ surprise _ .

Needless to say, he wasn’t letting the mer top again any time soon.)

“I know whatcha thinkin’,” Jesse rubbed Hachiko’s bared belly, a sharp eye on Hanzo. “But it ain’t for you, gup. It’s for the pups.”

That raised his brow again. “You know Iwanko won’t accept a gift from you, Jesse.”

“Ain’t that kinda surprise.” Jesse winked and turned around, leading Hachiko away from the cabin. “I know yer curious!”

Damn him, he was right. Hanzo was being transparent again; he had to put a lid on that slippage soon.

A cold nudge to his fingers got Hanzo to look down at Iwanko, leash in jaw, and far too nervous to be his brave lead tracker. Iwanko had avoided Jesse since  **that** incident, which was better than the outright hostility, but it unnerved Hanzo like nothing else. Outspoken, blunt Iwanko turned diminutive and subdued - a father’s worst nightmare.

Maybe this ‘surprise’ would help his pups. If Iwanko could be in the same general area as Jesse for five minutes or more without incident, that would be a huge accomplishment. Hachiko, as always, could help him as a middle man to keep everything afloat. It couldn’t be the worst thing he’s trusted Jesse to do.

!We can’t be long, we’re expected at the base soon.” Mei was a patient woman; she wouldn’t mind if they were slightly late.

“Ten minutes top, darlin’! Get movin’, they won’t be there forever.”

Well, curiosity always won him over in the end. 

(Some certain people would say curiosity killed the cat, but Hanzo argued it got him to the most interesting places.

Just look where it’d gotten him so far.)

Jesse led them along the coastline towards the rocky cliffs not too far from the cabin. Iwanko stayed glued to Hanzo’s side, no doubt remembering his first fateful visit to a similar cliffside. He stroked his head and held on tight to his leash, a tiny reassurance that went a very long way.

It didn’t take long for them to reach a cove Hanzo was sure hadn’t been here during his last area patrol. A pebbled beach covered in bits of seaweed and stray blocks of ice that hadn’t yet melted under the spring sun, with a few seagulls here and there poking at the gaps in the pale sand. Jesse was further ahead, splayed out next to a large rock formation that Hanzo recognised from where waves crashed into it when the tide was high.

So this is what low tide looked like here.

Hachiko yapped and Iwanko snapped to attention, perking his ears up at his sister. She kept barking, and Hanzo released his leash, encouraging him. Iwanko glanced up at him, but he only smiled. His pup shook himself and slowly trotted over, skipping away from the reaching waves when they dared to approach him.

Hanzo followed at his own pace, crossing his arms and watching as Hachiko led her brother to the rock formation, pawing at the ground. Jesse stayed with them and talked, but his eyes were on Hanzo even as his feet stuttered at the sight captivating his pups: a deep, glistening tide pool, teeming with wriggling sea life that paid no heed to the giants overlooking them.

Hanzo came to stand beside his mate, raptured by the minute details of the underwater world at their feet. Jesse’s arm snaked around his waist and he nuzzled from his shoulder to his cheek, gently nipping at the skin he could reach. Soft chirps rumbled through his chest and Hanzo could feel them in his own, calming any worry. Hanzo kissed Jesse’s temple under his hat and got a pleased trill for it, which made him smirk. Jesse hid nothing of his true nature from Hanzo, and it sent a thrilling shiver up his spine to think of how it was  _ his  _ to witness.

Others had their chance, tossed it aside for convention and things Hanzo used to value.

_ Used to _ .

(What fools they were.)

They stayed like that for who knows how long, content to watch Iwanko and Hachiko nose around the pool, poking their noses at creatures that wondered near the surface. Hachiko pointed her brother to a resting crab poking from a rock and he tilted his head in wonder.

Hanzo’s chuckle caught their attention, two pairs of shining browns bearing into him innocently. “It’s not so bad when it’s this small, is it?”

Iwanko glanced back down to the pool and whined, shuffling on his paws. Caught out on his awe for the thing he feared most, knowing he couldn’t deny the plainly seen fact. Hachiko bumped him with her nose and he barked at her, scattering the fish closest to them. Iwanko cried and sniffed around, trying to find them again.

Jesse’s fin nudged Hanzo’s leg and the mer curled his tail around him, trailing his other hand up his coat. His gaze sparked something wild and Hanzo felt the dragons stir under his skin. “You still wanna go?”

Iwanko and Hachiko stuck to the tide pool, distracted by the shimmer of the clear water. Hanzo rolled his eyes, smirk turning sharp as he took Jesse’s chin, leaning in close enough to brush but not to satisfy the mer’s craving for his taste.

“Maybe a few more minutes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts are always welcome!
> 
> Check out my [tumblr](http://lochdandloaded.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/LochAndLoad) for extra art, AUs and ramblings from yours truly. Or chat to me (LochAndLoad#1845) on the McHanzo Sanctuary discord server!


	4. Outside The Shore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mei's friendship with the elusive Hanzo Shimada has always been a strange one to everyone but them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A whole year of MerCree, can you believe it? :P I've been busy with zine work for many months and will continue to be, but I had to get an update out for MerMay!
> 
> If you're reading this, I'm assuming you've read all the context from the Twitter posts and know what's up. If you haven't and want to avoid any confusion, [head over to Kannibal's twitter](https://twitter.com/i/moments/1125261964970741761) !

The day Mei-Ling Zhou met Agent Shimada was an ordinary Tuesday afternoon in March at the Arctantic Ecopoint. She’d just come back from her first island mission since cryofreeze and was the last person to know of the newest addition to their ranks.

Not that she knew who he was when they ran into each other outside the mess hall. She paused in her stride and waved hello to him, Snowball parroting her on the shoulder. Shimada, dark-eyed, exhausted and wary, considered them with a grunt and scurried off with his bare bones lunch. Mei didn’t think anything of the encounter until she brought it up in a briefing with Doctor Khalil.

“Ugh, fucking Shimada-sama.” They groaned and rolled their eyes over copious layers of sarcasm.

“Is there something wrong?” Mei asked cautiously, but quickly regretted.

“His majesty was put here by the Underwatch commanders,” the doctor gritted their teeth, “They’re under the impression he’ll be able to help our counter operations. He’s only co-operating because snitching saves his own ass from prison, which is more than what he  _ deserves _ !”

Mei glanced to the door, slowly shuffling toward it and trying her best to hide behind her research files.

“It’s bad enough he’s a whaler, but they had the gall to overlook his smuggling and murdering!”

She winced and rubbed her arm. Underwatch wouldn’t do that, would they? The wonderful people and merlings who rescued her, to be so callous… Mei took a breath and hoped this was another case of Ecopoint gossip gone astray (if her own yeti hunting rumours were anything to go by, it was more than likely). And Doctor Khalil was just reactionary from their decades of activism work; it was all hyperbole.

Mei made a quick and awkward escape, vowing she would get to know the real Agent Shimada soon.

 

**0XX0**

 

The second time Mei met Agent Shimada, she knew she had a shot. 

The tour ship wreckage was one of the rare times Mei was left on the sidelines for a base-wide mission. She was a meteorologist who didn’t meet the physical criteria for the rescue crews, but she was still put to use. Her Engineering Masters dragged her out to Ross Island that evening to coordinate the Omnic team tracking and categorising the wreckage site for debris removal to ensure the health of the local ecosystem. 

It wasn’t a job Mei particularly wanted to do, nor did she want to be there steering her eyes away from the dozen frozen bodies laid out on the beach (she couldn’t close her eyes, or her friends’ faces would be among them). But by the time she got a break in the first aid tent, her viewpoint started to change. 

Agent Shimada was tucked away in a lonely corner, swaddling a pair of freezing puppies in whatever blankets were lying around. He looked so different to that Tuesday afternoon, though still thoroughly exhausted and dark-eyed. For one, he was smiling, and the world seemed brighter for his slouched shoulders and tender expression aimed at the slumbering pups.

There was no way such a gentle man could be anything Doctor Khalil called him.

Mei approached from afar, making sure Shimada saw her before he heard her.

“Hello, Shimada-san.” She waved and sat down in front of him, close enough that their conversation couldn’t be easily overheard. She pushed down the hurt that came from the way his guard rose at her presence.

“Doctor Zhou.” He nodded and turned back to the puppy cradled against his chest.

Mei bit her tongue before she could demand how he knew her name, instead opting to smile politely. “Busy day, huh?”

He looked her up and down as the scratched the puppy’s ears. “Indeed.”

She hummed and drummed her fingers as her gaze wandered. It landed on the puppy in Shimada’s lap, and its bandaged paw.

“Oh my gosh, what happened?!”

Shimada seemed taken aback by her outburst, but Mei paid him no mind, hovering over the bandages without disturbing the sleepy pup. Shimada shifted and held the other puppy closer.

“He injured himself on the cliff face.”

Mei cooed and held a hand to her heart. “Oh, the poor thing! What were they doing on a tour boat of all places…?”

Shimada shrugged, looking aside as he comforted the pups. “I have yet to find out. They have nowhere to go, either way.”

Mei frowned and stroked the lap puppy’s cheek, earning a tired nuzzle and lick of her glove.

“That’s a shame, but they’re in good hands with you!”

Shimada froze at the sight of Mei’s bright grin, staring as she stood up to greet Doctor Stamets as she approached the corner. Mei quickly left the researchers alone to talk, and headed back to her own tiring work.

 

**0XX0**

 

Iwanko and Hachiko’s training regime was the talk of the Ecopoint group chat for weeks. Mei couldn’t go a single shift without being spammed with photos of the puppies in their oversized harnesses, or videos of Shimada running them through commands in the hangars. While they were certainly cute and gave Mei a few heart attacks, she couldn’t help but feel the others were laughing at him for this endeavour.

(How badly had Doctor Khalill undermined him…?)

A slew of research trips and off-shore missions kept Mei away from the Ecopoint long enough that the pups were almost full grown by the time she saw them next in person. No more were they pudgy sausages of fluff waddling around the bunks, but rather lean and strengthened dogs filling out better than anybody had expected them to.

Doctor Khalil and the head researchers most of all.

Mei came upon the unlikely trio on her way to the engineering workshop, almost tripping over herself in surprise.

And falling on her ass when Hachiko jumped onto her.

“Hachiko, down!”

Shimada pulled Hachiko away, letting Mei sit up and re-adjust her glasses. Snowball hovered over her head, beeping nervously. She sat herself into less of a mess to take in the sight before her: Shimada holding Hachiko by the harness as they battled in a glaring match, with Iwanko at his master’s feet wearing an expression of pure vexation. Mei hid her giggle behind her glove, catching all eyes.

“Oh, yes. Are you alright, Zhou-san?” Shimada dropped Hachiko and reached out to her, embarrassment dusting his cheeks.

She shook her head and stood up herself, wiping down her pants. “I’m fine, Shimada-san. She didn’t hurt me, and please call me Mei!”

That caught him off-guard, s she suspected it would but she meant it. Formalities were just that: formal. She wanted friends here, ones worlds away from her old team, and it wouldn’t do to stick to honorifics like that (for her sake anyway; she wouldn’t dare disrespect him that way if he didn’t feel inclined).

Shimada shook himself out of his stupor and nodded. “If you wish.”

Hachiko trotted over to sit in front of Mei, tongue hanging out and tail wagging wild in way of forgoing the awkward silence. Snowball floated to bop her on the nose, getting an excited boof in return. Mei laughed and scratched Hachiko’s ears.

“You’re a good girl, aren’t you?” She cooed and rubbed down Hachiko’s thick neck. “A happy, loyal girl who just wanted to say hi to me.”

Hachiko barked again, leaning into Mei’s hands. Iwanko came up to then, ears flattened in jealousy. Mei quickly scratched under his chin and giggled at his relaxed expression.

“So are you, Iwanko. Even if your dad named you after a Pokemon.”

In the corner of her eye, Mei saw Shimada freeze up again and laughed as he tried to recover from the not-so-subtle call out. She smirked, watching him plant his feet sturdy with hands on his hips.

“That’s not true.”

“Don’t try to bullshit me, I’ve collected everything from all 32 generations  _ and  _ memorized the rap.” Mei’s smirk grew as Hanzo’s face fell, his stare turning wide and mouth agape. 

“That includes the ones I missed when I was gone, so believe me when I say I know best.”

“I…” Shimada cleared his throat and tried again. “I do.”

“You’re smarter than my ex-girlfriends by that alone,” Mei laughed and almost choked when she heard a chuckle from Shimada.

Hachiko and Iwanko wagged their tails more, watching them. Snowball rested on Mei’s shoulder, beeping quietly as their humour died down.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Mei was about to object when she caught the slight up quirk of his moustache, the first sign of a joke she’d ever seen from him.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms to the puppies’ disappointment.

“As you  _ should _ , Shimada-san. It doesn’t happen very often.” She winked, making him almost smile again. Her sense of pride was overflowing at that moment, threatening to burst through into the open.

Hachiko and Iwanko paced between them, whining and crying for attention. Shimada stroked them to silence, his smile growing for them alone.

A flash turned Mei’s eye to the end of the hallway, where a figure rushed around the corner from sight. Shimade groaned loudly, bringing her back to their ground.

“That incessant group chat…”

Mei swallowed and licked her suddenly dry lips. “You… know about it?”

“They’re not subtle,” Shimada almost growled, pulling down all surrounding moods. Hachiko pawed at his boots, ears flattened.

“Why haven’t you said anything?” Mei flinched at herself. So much for thinking before speaking!

Shimada deflated and shook his head, a thin smile of too many teeth stretched out to her. “I’m Shimada Hanzo; who am I that they would ever listen to me?”

Yes he was, but he was _ here now _ . What did the past he walked away from matter anymore? What did  _ anyone  _ here have against atonement? It’s not as if everyone in Ecopoint had perfectly clean records either; as if the higher ups weren’t hiding dirty secrets of their own from everybody for their own sakes.

“They’ll listen to  _ me _ .”

Shimada stared at her silently once again, but now in a mix of awe and disbelief instead of shock. Mei nodded, sure of her newfound resolve.

“Why?”

Now Shimada looked… well, crestfallen. Almost  _ disappointed _ . Mei wanted to screw up her face and yell at him for looking a gift horse in the mouth, but she held herself. Snowball beeped at her and she took a slow breath to reel in. There wasn’t enough time in life to waste on arguments and impulses.

“Because I want to.”

Snowball beeped again as the puppies crowded around Shimada’s feet. He considered her, his face going through a whole journey before settling on something of a shadow of the smile he’d given her earlier. He bowed to her stiffly and moved to walk away.

“Thank you, Mei-san.”

She smiled back and patted Hachiko on her way. “It’s no trouble, Shimada-san.”

“Call me Hanzo.” He avoided her raised eyebrows by staring at the puppies. “Please.”

“If you wish, Hanzo-san.” She couldn’t keep the giggle out of her voice, just as much as he couldn’t suppress the grin under his beard.

She turned away for his privacy and briskly walked back onto her path, glowing with the glee of a newly forged friendship.

 

**0XX0**

 

To Mei’s utter delight and Doctor Khalil’s bafflement, Iwanko and Hachiko passed their tracker’s exam with flying colours and the little Shimada family were assigned as Ecopoint’s newest track team. With his promotion, Hanzo was given the option to move out to an outpost cabin to do on-site coastal research - which he readily accepted.

Mei tried not to be downtrodden about it; even she had to admit that the atmosphere in the base wasn’t the most uplifting for him or the pups. So instead, she focused on aiding his transition to living solo.

With the outpost cabin needing renovations to accommodate both humans and animals, Mei had more than enough time to prepare herself - and her gift. 

It wasn’t anything glamourous or eccentric, despite what some believed of her. She couldn’t afford such a thing anyway, living off the weekly allowance Ecopoint gave her until the Chinese government recognised her death certificate to be null and void. And Hanzo wouldn’t like such a thing, if his comment of ‘deserving’ luxuries was anything to go by.

No, Mei kept it simple and quick to get the message across. The most difficult part was hoping the parts she had to order from the mainlands both came in time and arrived in good condition (all gods help her if she had to order replacements at the 11th hour).

Thankfully for her (and a poor customer service desk), everything went according to plan right up to Hanzo actually moving out. She tagged along at his request to help get his lodgings in order and once his back was turned, she placed her gift on his newly minted desk.

She ran off to the kennels and busied herself with the puppies’ food storage while Hanzo, presumably, reacted. Hachiko hung around her ankles, trying to sneak in treats when she thought Mei wasn’t looking. She didn’t see Iwanko until she went into the kitchen for tea.

Hanzo was sat at his miniscule dining table, pups burrowed at his feet as he stared hard at the frame in his hands. Her gift.

He didn’t meet her eye as she moved over to give him a mug. His were wet but his cheeks dry (not a surprise, he did his best to keep himself private) and she was sure his slow breathing was thick and laboured. She didn’t say anything.

Standing behind him, she saw the digital frame in full, the wide holo-screen showing off the myriad of photos featuring the new-found Shimada clan. All from the past few months, showing off the pups (and Hanzo) from all the moments the group chat captured (as invasive as they could be, many used their photography skills for good deeds). Hanzo was only in the few Mei had taken herself, showing him open as he wasn’t around, well… _ Any _ one else.

(She really hoped moving out wouldn’t destroy his budding social life. He didn’t deserve that.)

Hanzo didn’t acknowledge her, content to stroke his thumb over the cheek of the small puppy staring up at them. Mei smiled at the photo, then at the real pups at his feet. They’d really grown before their very eyes.

Mei sipped from her own mug and leaned against the wall, watching. Hanzo put the frame down, freeing his hands to run through his tangled hair. He finally met her, gaze straight and blunt as she had come to know from him.

“Osoreirimasu.”

Mei raised her eyebrow above her glasses, pinning him down. He pursed his lips and cleared his throat.

“Doumo arigatou gozaimasu.”

She smiled, squaring her shoulders to step away from the wall and go rinse out her cold mug. “ Dōitashimashite.”

His scoff and chuckle followed her to the sink and she held back a laugh. The pups looked between them, with no idea of who to be more confused by. Mei let them be, used to the sensation by now; they'd get used to her one way or another. 

Neither Mei nor Hanzo mentioned the gift again, even when he updated it with wonderful shots of the pups growing, or when it was moved around the house between her visits. She did notice smaller changes throughout the cabin - and with Hanzo himself - as the months rolled by. Strange artifacts hidden in plain sight - a cloak of feathers and fur, coral branches on the shelves, deep sea shells woven together, and such. It filled the home with the aura that brought Hanzo out of his seclusion, slowly but surely.

Just like with all those things, Mei never brought it up. It wasn’t part of their dynamic to; he trusted her to silently understand and she was honoured to be allowed that without a doubt. She was reminded of this, months later, when she walked in on him.

She froze in the doorway, the dogs pacing the kitchen behind her as she stared wide at the sight of Hanzo kissing a very familiar merling on his own doorstep.

Hanzo’s back was facing her, leaving the mer (Commander Morrison called him McCree; he was part of her rescue team. He’d made her laugh for the first time in a decade.) to stare at her over his shoulder. He recognised her, narrowing those deep black eyes as his grip tightened on Hanzo and his seal fins came around to wrap his legs possessively. Mei looked them over, how oblivious otherwise they were to her presence, and a wide smirk spread on her lips.

Oh this.

_ This  _ was going to be fun.

Mei snickered under her gloved hand and stepped away into the inner cabin, letting Iwanko and Hachiko bolt out to interrupt the couple. No one ever said this friendship was above much deserved teasing, and she was going to take the chances when they came.

 

**0XX0**

 

The light of dawn peeked through the blinds, shining onto the bed as Hanzo stretched out under his blankets, soothing the pleasant sache Jesse always left him with. The mer was laid out over him, face buried in his neck and slowly nibbling down to his collarbone while his fins stroked him elsewhere.

Hanzo ran his hand over Jesse’s coarse flank and hummed. “You’re insatiable.”

“‘Course not,” Jesse trilled and bit his earlobe as a claw thumbed over a nipple. The dragons itched under his skin. “With a mate like you, I ain’t ever sated.”

Hanzo shivered and held his wrist still, moving his head to nip Jesse’s ear. “And yet you’re more determined than usual tonight.”

“It’s mornin’.”

“Shut up.”

Jesse nuzzled him and chirped low in his throat, a non-human sound that sent chills down Hanzo’s spine. He tightened his grip on his flank and lifted his hips; maybe this wanton mer could be persuaded to a different game of claim.

Jesse made more noises and curled his tail to thrust between his legs, his free hand wrapping around Hanzo’s waist. “I can’t decide t’ lavish ya as much as you deserve?”

“You usually have good reason to mark up my neck ten different ways.” Hanzo hauled Jesse up to face him, smirking at the mer’s flushed cheeks and hooded eyes. “So, tell me.”

Jesse looked down, mindlessly raking his claws over Hanzo’s tattoo as his prepuce opened up once more to reveal the reddened head of his dick. “I’m just settlin’ my claim on m’ mate, so no one else gets any ideas.”

Hanzo raised an eyebrow, taking Jesse’s chin in hand to hold him in place as they kissed.

“ _ Is _ there a mer looking to mate with me?”

Jesse’s expression darkened as he growled, bared his fangs and tightened his grip. “Akande better not…”

Hanzo’s kissed him again, noting that information away for another time. Jesse melted under him, opening his mouth for Hanzo to take and take. They moved slowly and Hanzo molded himself into Jesse’s touch, letting him take over the kiss with his too-sharp teeth and lack of sensual wit. Jesse’s purr rumbled through his chest; the dragons echoed with sparks.

Oh, the things he wanted to do to this mer… 

The kiss tapered off as jesse’s claws trailed over his dick, hard once more. Hanzo bit Jesse’s lip, smirking.

“No distractions, dear. You haven’t answered my question.”

Jesse whined, reaching for him again. Hanzo took a fistfull of hair to hold him back, revelling in the sounds  _ his  _ mate made. If he got the chance, he’d fill him up with an entire colony to call their own - give in to the dragons’ demand for a clan and spread their domain to the living sea.

“Who has made you jealous?”

Jesse let out a soft scoff and turned to nuzzle Hanzo’s wrist, scenting him.

“Ain’t jealous. Just don’t want anyone thinking ‘cause they’re in yer den, they can court ya as they please.”

Hanzo paused as Jesse kept pawing at him, chirping for attention and to service his mate with this thickening member. Hanzo didn’t allow visitors to his cabin as per principle and because he had no friends except— 

“Mei? You think  _ Mei  _ wants me as a mate?”

Hanzo let go and sat up fully, towering over the bleary mer. He trilled and curled around him, slowly thrusting between his slickened thighs. His hands came to rest on his ass while his fins tended to his balls, and his fangs grazed over the edges of their mating mark - the one that bound them together.

“She was in yer  _ den _ , with the pups.” Jesse’s muscles tensed up and he rolled his shoulders, letting out a sigh bordering on a snarl. “Her scent mixed in with yours, she was makin’ her intentions known.”

Hanzo stared up at the ceiling and pursed his lips, rubbing a hand through his beard.

“Mei’s a lesbian, Jesse.”

“Don’t care what she is, there’s no excuse for courtin’ my mate.”

Hanzo groaned and pressed his palms against his eyes, counting down from ten. Jesse moved down to his pecks, leaving marks over his nipples as he kneaded his ass.

“A lesbian is a woman who mates with women.” He started off slowly, resting a hand on Jesse’s nape as he dared to look at his wonderful, loving sometimes-idiot. “As I’ve told you before, I am a man. Mei has no interest in courting or mating with me, I assure you.”

Jesse slowed in his mouthing, glancing up at Hanzo before diving down to tongue his abs. “Doesn’ make sense.”

“It’s a human thing, dear.” Hanzo rolled his eyes and held Jesse up, stopping him from moving further down to his deflating dick. Mers may have their similarities to humans, but there were certainly  _ many  _ cultural differences that widened the gap between species. He guessed this would be one of them.

Now if only his mate would stop trying to burn bridges  _ and  _ his sex drive.

“But what if—”

Hanzo flipped them over, expression set serious and heated as he straddled Jesse's hips, pointedly ignoring the wanting dick behind his thighs.

He held his hands down on the pillows, grip tight. "From now on, there will be no mention of anyone else. Not your family, my friends - anyone. Is that clear?"

Jesse, eyes wide and blown out, nodded and chirped. The ruddy flush spread down to his chest, and Hanzo could feel him growing with need. He smirked and leaned in to whisper against his lips.

"Do you know what else I want?" Jesse trilled, all language evading him, and tried to thrust up. Hanzo moved away, peppering kisses and bites up his jawline just to feel him writhing.

"I want to fill you up, wholly and completely, so you feel me for days after. I want the entire ocean to know who you belong to, and for you to never forget."

Jesse purred and chirped, falling slack underneath him as his skin darkened to a deep red. Hanzo smirked, kissing over the marks he'd left over his mate's neck.

"Would you like that? To be marked by me inside and out? Showing off the mate who's taken you from those who didn't appreciate you enough to act quickly?"

Jesse tensed up again, muscles tightening under Hanzo's grip and fins wrapping around his hips to hold them open wide. Hanzo moaned into his neck, pressing his dick into Jesse's fur.

"Don't tease me like that," Jesse whispered, his voice hoarse and thick.

"Who said I was teasing? I meant every word."

Jesse growled and broke his hands out of Hanzo's grip, digging his claws into his waist hard enough to bleed. Hanzo held them there, stroking his thumbs over the claws.

"Is that a promise?" Hanzo bit down on a mating mark and Jesse chirped. "I'm holdin' ya to that. I want you so bad."

Hanzo lifted his head up to rub noses with Jesse, smiling at his patient, wonderful mate. "Then you'll have me, dear."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (If you want more art, go bother Kannibal for it WINK WINK)
> 
> Comments, kudos, bookmarks and all are welcome! Let me know what you thought!
> 
> Check out my [tumblr](http://lochdandloaded.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/LochAndLoad) for extra art, AUs and ramblings from yours truly. Or chat to me (LochAndLoad#1845) on the McHanzo Sanctuary discord server!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, kudos, bookmarks and all are welcome! Let me know what you thought!
> 
> Check out my [tumblr](http://lochdandloaded.tumblr.com/) or [twitter](https://twitter.com/LochAndLoad) for extra art, AUs and ramblings from yours truly. Or chat to me (LochAndLoad#1845) on the McHanzo Sanctuary discord server!


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